Bellevue Councilman Davidson misses voters’ pamphlet deadline

Don Davidson, sidelined for health reasons from the Bellevue City Council and his re-election campaign since early April, faces another challenge in the August primary.

Because his campaign failed to meet an official deadline, he won’t have a statement in the King County Local Voters’ Pamphlet.

Two challengers, Bellevue Parks Board member Lynne Robinson and former state Pharmacy Board member Vandana Slatter, have statements in the pamphlet, which King County Elections has posted online.

Davidson’s campaign adviser, Randy Pepple, said he was connected by computer to King County Elections on the day candidate statements were due and was counting words on Davidson’s statement when the deadline for submissions arrived “and the computer all of a sudden kicked me off.”

Despite that setback, Pepple said, “I suspect he’ll do just fine in the primary. His competitors are competing for the same base,” he said, each positioning herself as “the most liberal” candidate.

Davidson said Saturday he’s doing fine while undergoing physical therapy following open-heart surgery, and hopes to be back home later this week.

“I’m going to end up in better shape than I’ve been in a couple years,” said Davidson, 73, who was first elected to the City Council in 1983.

Davidson has the advantage of name recognition and strong ties with the business community, which could help him overcome a fundraising gap. He has raised only $3,498 in campaign contributions, while Robinson has raised $36,549 and Slatter $61,602.

Davidson’s re-election would maintain a one-vote council majority that has had strong ties to downtown business interests, including Bellevue Square developer Kemper Freeman Jr.

Earlier this month former state Attorney General Rob McKenna solicited contributions for Davidson, saying in an email he was being targeted “by some of the same Seattle leftist groups which attacked me last year” and people “who insult Bellevue at every opportunity.” McKenna, who lost the governor’s race to Jay Inslee, didn’t identify those groups or individuals.

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Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.